Page 31 of Light Me Up

“Ah…but boss,” he faltered. “What good reason is there for us to stay in the—”

“I need eyes, ears, and feet on the ground in that room! Remember how many fucking zeroes are on the sum that’ll show up in your bank accounts tomorrow. I’ll leave this room first. You two get out after, at intervals, and take different routes back to the security room. I need everything you can find on those two people. Fast. Never speak to me directly again.”

The two men muttered their assent, looking properly cowed, so Konig stepped out of the bathroom and half-walked, half-ran toward Lella’s office. His speed didn’t fit his food poisoning narrative, but too bad. He had to risk it and take this final opportunity right now, while Lella was alone.

He entered without knocking. Lella jerked around with a startled cry, his one eye practically starting out of his head. His hideously disfigured face seemed like a rubber monster mask made to frighten children.

Lella sagged back into his chair, breathing hard. “Ah. Signor Konig. It’s you.”

“Sorry to startle you, Captain Lella,” Konig said. “I just had a suggestion for tonight, for the ceremony. Russo, Vilardi, and Naimo should be added to the list of the security agents posted near the cross in the Sala dell’Annunziata.”

Lella attempted to frown, as much as he could with the snarl of thickened scar tissue on his brow. “I appreciate your input, Signor Konig, but I have experienced security personnel for the key positions,” he said gruffly.

Konig pulled out his phone and discreetly activated the command frequency.

The effect was immediate, and dramatic. Lella froze, his one eye rolling wildly, his ruined mouth hanging open.

Konig waited, four…five…six seconds. Lella’s bodybegan to shake.

“You will place Russo, Vilardi, and Naimo near the cross in the Sala,” Konig said, slowly. “Is that understood?”

Lella gave him a jerky nod.

“Repeat my directions,” Konig said.

“I will place Russo, Vilardi, and Naimo in key positions in the Sala.” Lella’s voice was now so slurred, hesounded drunk.

“Very good,” Konig said softly.

A thin thread of blood trickled from Lella’s nostril and pooled over the scar tissue on the man’s upper lip. Konig pulled out his handkerchief from his pocket, leaned over the desk, and dabbed at Lella’s mouth until it was clean. Almost tenderly.

He tucked the handkerchief into his pocket, walked outside, and canceled the command frequency. He let the door fall closed as Lella sagged forward onto his desk with a chokedcry. Released.

He hurried straight for his room, but couldn’t resist pulling out the tablet as he went, flicking through the camera feeds until he found the mystery couple again.

They were in the garden now. Having what looked like a very intense conversation. Their backs were mostly turned. He couldn’t even read their lips.

The woman’s ass was very fine in that red dress. In a couple of hours, all that seductive femininity would be ground meat. Or charred to ash. Pity. Such a waste.

But now that he looked at the woman more attentively, she began to strike him as problematic in her own way. The set of her shoulders, the angle of her chin, the way she tossed back her hair. She had the posture of a woman who needed to be put in her place.

He could think of a few good places.

Chapter 9

Caro kept a tight grip on Noah’s arm until they were out onto the wide flagstoned veranda that overlooked the garden. From there, a broad, shallow staircase led down toward a long reflecting pool. The rectangle of water mirrored the ragged pink and gold clouds of sunset, and the evening star high above.

It was incredibly beautiful, but she was unable to appreciate it. Not after meeting Captain Lella. Images of his agony while being tortured hadblindsided her.

She leaned against Noah and gazed out at the tranquil garden, trying to loosen the tension in her chest.

“You OK?” Noah asked softly.

“I will be. That poor man. Lella is in such pain. And I mean right now, in real time. I’m not talking about the past. Could you feel it?”

“Yes. Something’s way off with that guy,” Noah said. “He spiked my AVP to the max.”

Caro closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them, deliberately filling her mind with the pink, gold, and lavender clouds reflected in the mirror-smooth pool. A soft breeze ruffled the surface and the images rippled and swayed.

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